Saliva, a Magic Biofluid Available for Multilevel Assessment and a Mirror of General Health—A Systematic Review
Aranka Ilea,
Vlad Andrei,
Claudia Nicoleta Feurdean,
Anida-Maria Băbțan,
Nausica Bianca Petrescu,
Radu Septimiu Câmpian,
Adina Bianca Boșca,
Bianca Ciui,
Mihaela Tertiș,
Robert Săndulescu,
Cecilia Cristea
Affiliations
Aranka Ilea
Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Oral Health and Dental Office Management, Faculty of Dentistry, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Vlad Andrei
DMD, Rezident doctor in Periodontology, Clinical County Hospital, 540136 Târgu Mureș, Romania
Claudia Nicoleta Feurdean
Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Oral Health and Dental Office Management, Faculty of Dentistry, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Anida-Maria Băbțan
Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Oral Health and Dental Office Management, Faculty of Dentistry, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Nausica Bianca Petrescu
Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Oral Health and Dental Office Management, Faculty of Dentistry, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Radu Septimiu Câmpian
Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Oral Health and Dental Office Management, Faculty of Dentistry, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Adina Bianca Boșca
Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Department of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, 400349 Cluj, Romania
Bianca Ciui
Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj, Romania
Mihaela Tertiș
Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj, Romania
Robert Săndulescu
Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj, Romania
Cecilia Cristea
Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, 400349 Cluj, Romania
Background: Saliva has been recently proposed as an alternative to classic biofluid analyses due to both availability and reliability regarding the evaluation of various biomarkers. Biosensors have been designed for the assessment of a wide spectrum of compounds, aiding in the screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of pathologies and treatment efficiency. This literature review aims to present the development in the biosensors research and their utility using salivary assessment. Methods: a comprehensive literature search has been conducted in the PubMed database, using the keywords “saliva” and “sensor”. A two-step paper selection algorithm was devised and applied. Results: The 49 papers selected for the present review focused on assessing the salivary biomarkers used in general diseases, oral pathologies, and pharmacology. The biosensors proved to be reliable tools for measuring the salivary levels of biochemical metabolic compounds such as glucose, proteinases and proteins, heavy metals and various chemical compounds, microorganisms, oncology markers, drugs, and neurotransmitters. Conclusions: Saliva is a biofluid with a significant clinical applicability for the evaluation and monitoring of a patient’s general health. Biosensors designed for assessing a wide range of salivary biomarkers are emerging as promising diagnostic or screening tools for improving the patients’ quality of life.
